【科技日报】全球首台中红外波段太阳磁场望远镜启用

Core Insights - The AIMS telescope, a significant advancement in solar magnetic field observation, has been officially launched and is expected to enhance understanding of solar activities and improve space weather forecasting [1][2]. Group 1: Technological Breakthroughs - The AIMS telescope represents the first dedicated instrument for measuring solar magnetic fields in the mid-infrared spectrum, filling a critical gap in international solar observation capabilities [1][2]. - The telescope has achieved a measurement precision improvement by an order of magnitude, transitioning from indirect calculations to direct measurements of solar magnetic fields [2][3]. - Key technological advancements include the use of a 12.3-micron mid-infrared observation method and the successful measurement of the Zeeman splitting, achieving a precision better than 10 Gauss [3]. Group 2: Construction Challenges - The AIMS telescope is located at an altitude of 4,000 meters in the harsh environment of Qinghai's Cold Lake, presenting significant logistical and engineering challenges [6]. - Construction milestones included the start of dome construction in 2020, completion of the main telescope structure by the end of 2022, and the commencement of trial observations in September 2023 [6]. - The project faced extreme conditions, including reliance on helicopters for material transport and the need for construction personnel to live in containers due to the lack of housing [6]. Group 3: Scientific Contributions - The AIMS telescope has successfully captured multiple mid-infrared solar flare data, providing new insights into the mechanisms of energy transfer during solar eruptions [5]. - The telescope is now in the scientific output phase, with its data expected to support advanced research in solar physics and improve predictions of solar activity and space weather [7]. - Future plans include developing collaborative observation strategies that integrate mid-infrared measurements with multi-band observations to further explore unresolved questions about solar magnetic fields [7].